Tell a lie once and all your truths become questionable.

You gotta train your mind to be stronger than your emotions or else you’ll lose yourself everytime.

Dear God, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank You for loving me, forgiving me, healing me and never leaving me. Amen.

“You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.”― Bob Marley

The worst person to be around is the one who complains about everything and appreciates nothing.

My point is, when you love someone, when you care for someone, you have to do it through the good and the bad. Not just when you’re happy and it’s easy.

For what it’s worth: It’s never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. And if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.― F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Anger is sign that something needs to change.”
— Mark Epstein

Choose a partner who is good for you. Not good for your parents. Not good for your image. Not good for your bank account. Chose someone who’s going to make your life emotionally fulfilling.

You can’t change someone who doesn’t see an issue in their actions.

Some days I wish I could go back in life, not to change things, just to feel a few things twice.

TIP OF THE DAY; If they want to leave, let them. If they push you away, go. You weren’t put on this earth to convince anyone of your worth. You’re here to learn, create, flourish, live, spread love and nourish. The ones deserving of you will always make you feel appreciated

“Refuse to inherit dysfunction. Learn new ways of living instead of repeating what you’ve lived through.” – Thema Davis

When you fully trust someone without any doubt, you finally get one of two results: A person for life or A lesson for life

I was born with a soul that is way too sensitive for this cold and ugly world, I have always felt things deeply and differently than most people. That has always been my blessing and my curse. – Reggie Nulan

To be honest, my goal is really to just leave a positive impact on everyone I meet. Whether it be a smile, a laugh or a changed heart.

If you want to know what it’s like to survive hell and still come out shining brighter than the sun, just look into the eyes of a woman who has survived intense damage and refused to allow it to destroy her softness. ~ Nikita Gill

If you made a promise, keep it. If you have love, cherish it. If someone confided in you, respect it. If you did wrong, apologize for it. If you want trust, earn it. ~Brigitte Nicole

Sometimes the people who act the happiest are the ones who are going through the most.

Falling in love and staying in love – they’re both incredible, joyful, and thrilling parts of your life. But the problem comes when you think of them as one and the same. When you expect the infatuating, addictive, high-inducing rush of excitement that occurs during the ‘falling’ stage to last permanently. Or when you assume that the contented, peaceful, wholeheartedly trusting stage that occurs in long-lasting relationships will happen the minute you fall for someone. They’re both wonderful, beautiful experiences, but it is not until you understand how and why they are different that you can truly appreciate what you have in front of you and how you can make it last.

Falling in love means thinking every damn thing they do is adorable, even if it’s as random as the way they sneeze or the way they hold a book. Staying in love means learning how to get over all of the little things they do that absolutely drive you nuts, and loving them anyways.

Falling in love means treasuring every exciting new adventure you share together. Staying in love means treasuring even the littlest of moments – being thankful that they are sleeping safely beside you, closing your eyes as you appreciate the sound of their happy laughter in the other room, smiling at the ‘cheer up’ text they send you during a stressful day at work.

Written by Kim Quindlen

This article was originally published in thoughtcatalog.com

If you’re struggling and your people are just sitting there watching you struggle, they’re not your people.

Call me crazy but I love to see people happy and succeeding. Life is a journey, not a competition.

In life, we never lose friends, we only learn who the true ones are.

A beautiful face will age and a perfect body will change, but a beautiful soul will always be a beautiful soul.

I pray that whoever reads this, God heals whatever is hurting you right now.

You may see me struggle, but you’ll never see me quit.

Forgive people in your life, even those who are not sorry for their actions. Holding on to anger only hurts you, not them.

Sometimes it takes looking back, for you to realize that leaving someone and the pain they were causing you, was the best decision you ever made.

You can tell a lot about a person by the way they hug you. If they really care, you’ll feel their hug.
~Kristen Butler

Look out for the people who look out for you. Loyalty is everything.

You deserve happiness. You deserve peace. You deserve laughter. You deserve to love and be loved. You deserve life. Don’t ever forget this.

No matter how hard you try, you can never please everyone. Follow your heart, make the most of every day, and be proud of who you are. – John Cena

When you start looking at people’s heart instead of their face, life becomes clear.

Karma “Think good thoughts, say nice things, do good for others. Everything comes back.”

Don’t lose your dignity and self-respect trying to make people accept, love and appreciate you, when they just aren’t capable.

Happiness is when you realize that your children have turned out to be good people.

Time is like a river. You cannot touch the same water twice, because the flow that has passed will never pass again. Enjoy every moment of your life.

Be careful who you open up to. Only a few people actually care, the rest just want to have something to gossip about.

Don’t be someones down-time, spare-time, part-time or sometime. If they cant be there for you when you need them, then they’re not even worth your time.

Forgiving Someone is easy, but being able to trust them again is a totally different story.

Before you start to judge me, step into my shoes and walk the life I’m living and if you get as far as I am, just maybe you will see how strong I really am.

Never respond to rudeness. When people are rude to you, they reveal who they are, not who you are. Don’t take it personally. Be silent.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, I’ll always get up after I fall. Whether I run, walk, or have to crawl, I’ll set my goals and achieve them all. ― Chris Butler

Don’t take people for granted. No matter how much they love you, people get tired eventually. We are all given chances, but you never know when the last chance may be.

I don’t know how people can fake whole relationships. I can’t even fake a hello to someone I dislike.

You don’t have to have sex to be a cheater. Once you start hiding text messages, lying about where you’re going and who you’re with, you’re already on your way.

HOW OUR HEARTS ARE CHANGED BY BETRAYAL

You haven’t always been this way.

You haven’t always been a body lined with thorns, a heart wrapped in razor wire; hard lines and jaded eyes.

Distant, aloof, guarded.

There was a time you were shades of pastel; when your heart knew love, and trust rested freely upon your fingertips.

There was a time your days were painted with innocence. Where eager eyes gazed at the world with hope and wonder, your heart still shiny and new.

But all of this changed the moment you were betrayed by someone you loved. Someone you trusted. Someone who should have protected you. Someone who hurt you instead. Someone who allowed you to be hurt by others.

There is little else that shatters a heart as much as the pain of betrayal. It tears you open, rips your heart out of your chest. You don’t want to put it back, you want to leave it on the floor to bleed until there is nothing left, until the blood runs dry and you no longer have to feel a damn thing anymore. But you can’t. You have to go on. So you pick your heart off the floor and place it back inside your hollow chest.

Except, the heart that you put back is never the same heart. It is wounded, war-torn. It no longer seeks love, but only to protect itself from the pain of ever being betrayed again.

A heart that is betrayed is changed forever.

No longer will it trust anyone again, but greets every person with reservation and fear; wary of a world that has proven to only take advantage for its own benefit. It remains hyper-vigilant in its desperate need to prove itself right; forever searching for the cracks inside another person that prove they too are unworthy of trust. It needs to know its enemy. It needs to remain one step in front at all times. Kindness is met with suspicion, for your heart has learned nothing comes without a cost – there are always strings, always an agenda. Your heart rejects kindness, remains cynical of it, refuses to accept it. It would rather suffer on its own than accept kindness that allows it to become vulnerable to another.

Your heart no longer knows how to trust itself either, and it makes vows to stay hard, to stay tough. Never will I want again. Never will I need again. Never will I trust again. Never will I love again. These vows are the cornerstones of the fortress it builds around itself, the strongholds that keep the walls in place. It gives up hope of ever being protected and instead learns to protect itself. It becomes a slave to its independence, its autonomy. Here, in its fortress, it is safe. Here, behind its walls, it can remain distant, removed.

Here, your heart can trust itself not to feel. 

For betrayal has taught your heart how dangerous it is to feel. To want, to need. To desire love, relationship, connection. No, your heart must deaden itself to its desires. It must wake each morning with one goal of attack – to kill your hungry soul. To destroy your desires before they destroy you. Your heart cannot afford to want, it is too dangerous, too much of a risk that will lead to being hurt again. This is how your heart stays safe – it refuses to be tempted by love ever again.

Except, your heart was created for relationship. Your heart was created for intimacy. But intimacy is the enemy, the biggest threat. Intimacy requires your heart to be vulnerable, to let someone close. To betray its own desires in the hope it will not be betrayed because of them. Intimacy is the most dangerous of all, and your heart turns itself away and chooses to live without hope of relationship, of closeness, of oneness with another.

Betrayal has changed your heart.

It has damaged your heart.

It has left it powerless, helpless, vulnerable, wounded, damaged, guarded, broken. Your heart can no longer trust, does not trust. It no longer believes in the goodness of anyone else’s heart. It no longer believes it is worthy of being loved, of being protected. It is tired from living in a constant state of anticipation and expectation that it will be hurt and betrayed once more. It no longer wants to love, no longer knows how to love. It has become numb, deadened to its desires, and you tell yourself you are content with this.

That here, you are safe. You are in control. You are untouchable.

Except, you are lonely. So goddamn lonely.

And this is the paradox of betrayal.

You are scared of relationship, yet relationship is the very thing that will heal your heart.

Dear heart, there is a need for you to be safe.

But there is a greater need for you to be loved.

The only way to heal is through love. You must find the courage to pull down your fortress. It has kept you safe. But you have dwelled long enough in your solitude. In your loneliness. It is time to lay down your weapons. Surrender is not defeat, but the end of the fight.

To love is to risk hurt. To trust is to risk betrayal. But you must risk so that you may heal.

Your heart has learned how to stay safe, how to survive.

Now, it must learn how to once again love.

Written by Kathy Parker

( with permission)

Find out more about Kathy at her blog: https://kathyparker.com.au/

 My brother may not always be at my side, but he is always in my heart.

I’m not anti-social. I’m selectively social. There’s a difference.

Better days are coming. You have been through a lot. Now it’s time for you to shine.

Family is not about blood, its about who is willing to hold your hand when you need it the most.

The sad thing is, nobody ever really knows how much anyone else is hurting. We could be standing next to somebody who is completely broken and we wouldn’t even know it.

You deserve someone who never stops trying to show how much you mean to them, even after they have you.

I’m attracted to intelligence, not education. You could graduate from the best, most elite college, but if you’re clueless about the world and society, you don’t know anything.

God often removes a person in your life for your protection. Think about that before you go running after them

Sometimes a hug is worth more than a thousand words.

The less you respond to negativity, the more peaceful your life will become.

One of the best feelings is finally losing feelings and your attachment to somebody that isn’t good for you.

A true relationship is when you can tell each other anything and everything. No secrets, no lies.

Be thankful for the difficult people in your life for they have shown you who you do not want to be.

“People think being alone makes you lonely, but I don’t think that’s true. Being surrounded by the wrong people is the loneliest thing in the world.”― Kim Culbertson

I’m a very strong believer that whoever is meant to be in your life will always gravitate back towards you, regardless how far they wander.

It’s nice when someone remembers small details about you. Not because you keep reminding them, but because they actually care.

Don’t let people know too much about you.

I’m a very patient person and I give plenty of second chances but I am not a saint. I have my limits.

Losing someone who doesn’t respect or appreciate you is actually a gain, not a loss.

No matter how badly someone treats you, never drop down to their level. Remain calm, stay strong, and walk away.”

No one has the right to judge you because no one really knows what you have been through. They might have heard the stories but they didn’t feel what you felt in your heart.

If you want to know where your heart is, look where your mind goes when it wanders.

My life. My choices. My problems. My mistakes. My lessons. Not your business. Mind your own problems before you talk about mine. My life is not your story to tell.

“Someday, all the love you’ve given away, will find its way back to you, and it will finally stay.”
―Drewniverses.

When it’s over, leave. Don’t continue watering a dead flower.

Before you assume, learn the facts. Before you judge, understand why. Before you hurt someone, feel. Before you speak, think.

The best six doctors: Sunshine, water, rest, air, exercise & diet.

Lost myself trying to please everyone else. Now I’m losing everyone trying to find myself.

People usually change for two reasons. It’s either they have learned a lot, or they have been hurt a lot.

If someone just keeps ignoring you, don’t make excuses for their behavior. Take the hint and move on.  Let it be their loss.

Sometimes God holds you back temporarily until the road is safe and clear to continue. Be thankful for the stall.

A Parent’s Prayer Lord, I ask you to protect my children physically emotionally, spiritually, mentally & every way.

When you can’t forgive someone, pray for them. It may or may not change them, but it will always change you

I Hope he Loves you like This. {Poem}

I hope he cooks you breakfast
Knowing how you like your eggs
how you take your coffee
how little or how much you wish to speak.
I hope he cooks you dinner, too
For no reason at all.

I hope he holds your hand proudly
as you walk through a room
of people you don’t know.

I hope he builds you up
until you are standing on a pedestal
of your own creation.

I hope he encourages you to make art
take risks
travel the world
be alone—
always knowing that you’ll be back
home in his warm embrace
as long as his heart is open.

I hope he wears his heart on his sleeve
and is not shy
to adorn yours
as well.

I hope he is the kind of person
who, when presented with the ocean,
will not shy away
from diving in
to ride the waves.

I hope he is all of himself
unafraid to own
his stories
no matter how dark they may seem.

I hope he can see that all of you
is in the stars
poking through
the dark sky
of your past.

I hope he is not scared
by your ability to choose growth
your ability to not be held hostage
by the person you were yesterday
last week
last year.

I hope his attention span
is as long as every word
that exits your mouth
your heart.
I hope that he hears your truth
and meets it with gratitude
for your vulnerability.

I hope he loves you
in a way you didn’t know love existed.
For you have only seen love
in other places
with shaky ground that fell
beneath your hopeful feet.

This is who I hope
for you—
Because you are worthy
of being loved
by a heart so bright
the sun blushes
in admiration.

~

Author: Annabelle Blythe

When You’re Forcing Love To Stay Alive, It Isn’t Love Anymore.

Sometimes love is ugly, challenging, frustrating, painful – even in the happiest and strongest of relationships. Love takes work. It takes effort. Love is not always light and pretty. It takes the ability to admit when you’re wrong. It takes dedication, it takes loyalty.

But there is a difference between fighting for something that you know is too good to let go of, and clinging on to something that has already died.

Often, deep down, we already know when it’s not love anymore. What it is is familiarity, routine, insurance. It’s something we’ve gotten used to. It’s a security blanket. It’s the guarantee that we aren’t alone. Sometimes the death of love is easier to sense, if we’re with someone who directly makes us incredibly unhappy. And sometimes it’s harder to admit to ourselves, because we’re with someone whom we care about deeply, even if we’re no longer in love with them. But no matter the specific circumstances, we try to convince ourselves that the love is still there, because we’re not ready for the alternative.

And so we grasp onto it, no matter how much our gut resists, because we’d rather cling to something that is dead than willingly step into a world where we are hurt and alone.

It’s not a fault really, not a flaw. Just human nature. It is in our bones to want to be with other people. To feel instantly comforted from the touch or the assurance of another human being. To feel actual, physical pain when we stretch out in bed and are once again reminded that there is no longer a warm body in the place next to us.

But we must remember that there is a difference between forcing love and fighting for it. Forcing love – forcing yourself to feel something – is not love at all. It’s a manufactured emotion your body has created as a coping mechanism, a survival instinct. Forcing love means it’s already dead. And when you spend all your time forcing yourself to love someone, you miss the opportunity to fight for the person who really sets your soul on fire. The choice isn’t easy, but at least it’s yours.

Written by Kim Quindlen

This article was originally published in thoughtcatalog.com

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kimberlyquindlen

What doesn’t kill you gives you a lot of unhealthy coping mechanisms and a really dark sense of humor.

Everyone is so focused on being a savage, busy, and acting heartless these days. Meanwhile, I’m searching for the humans that believe in compassion, love, and human connection.
-Sylvester McNutt III

People come and go, but once in a while you meet someone who is supposed to be in your life and your heart goes, “Oh THERE you are. I’ve been looking for you.“

I love planners, highlighters, ball point pens, to do lists & anything else that gives me the illusion that Im getting my life together.

Some days I am goddess. Some days I am wild child. And some days I am a fragile mess. Most days I am a bit of all three. But every day, I am here, trying.
S.C. Lourie

Relationships don’t last because of the good times; they last because the hard times were handled with love and care. ~ Anmol Andore

Missing someone isn’t about how long since you’ve seen them or the amount of time you’ve talked to them. It’s about that very moment when you’re doing something and wishing they were right there with you.

She didn’t need to be saved. She needed to be found and appreciated for exactly who she was.
J iron wood

I have known hardship. I have lost myself. But here I stand, still moving forward, growing stronger each day. I will never forget the harsh lessons in my life. They made me stronger.

Life is Beautiful ! One day One hour One minute Will not come again In your entire life So avoid fights, angriness and speak lovely to every person.

If you stay, stay forever. If you go, do it today. If you change, change for the better. And if you talk, make sure you mean what you say.

I just want an honest relationship. No lies. No mind games. No cheating.

I think I’ll miss you for a really long time. No matter how easily distracted I am, I will always find a split second to think of you.

At the end of the day, I’m a good person. I’m not perfect by any means but my intentions are good, my heart is pure and I love hard with everything I’ve got.

I’m blessed with everything I need. I am working hard towards everything I want. And most of all I appreciate & Thank God for what I have.

The most wonderful places to be in the world are: In someone’s thoughts, someone’s prayers, someone’s heart or in someone’s arms.

Do good and good will come to you.”

It’s better to wait long than marry wrong.

God when I lose hope, help me to remember that your love is greater than my disappointments & your plans for my life are better than my dreams. Amen. – Jasmeen Kaur Wadhera

You’re in a relationship to be happy, to smile, to laugh and to make good memories. Not to constantly be upset, to feel hurt and to cry.

Never be a prisoner of your past, it was just a lesson not a life sentence.

Moving on doesn’t mean forgetting, it means you choose happiness over hurt.

I think one of the greatest feelings in the world is when someone openly tells you how much you mean to them. Raw honesty is so rare.